Supplemental feed apparatus for internal combustion engine



Jan. 17, w YON SUPPLEMENTAL FEED APPARATUS F INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 25, 1952 INVENTOR. \A/lLLuAM C. You

United States Patent stir-Pregnant rr'fni) isPi AfiAirfiSron INTERNKL eoMnnsrloN ENGINE WilliamG; Your; A=ltocna-,- Ba;- Rpplieation September 23*, I952", erial NB; 1"'1,0 t3 r elaimn (l*. 261'-18):

This invention relates to: supplemental; feed apparatus for internal combustion engines and more particularly to apparatus for improving: the'fuel economy." and: increasing the'power output of an internal combustion engineiby feeding additional materials. in: vaporized? form to' the en ine along with the engine f uel and combustion: air.

It is among theobje'cts of the invention to provide supplemental feed apparatus for'an internal combustiona en.- gine to feed supplemental materials in vaporized forum to the engine along? with the engine: fuel and combustionair to-improve the fuel economy and increase the-power outputof the engine; which: can be operatively connected. to the engine with no-materia-l-modifieation-oflthe engineconstructionand without changing. the" adjustment oil the" en gine charge forming! mechanism; which is connected into the passage between'the'en'gine charge forming-mechanism and-intake manifold and uses the engine intake manifold vacuum to vaporize the supplemental material? and feed such vaporized material tothe engine cylinders; which supplies water vapor and other vaporized materials,-. such as alcohol and gasoline to theengine and may also be used to supply a' highly volatile materiah. sueh-aas eth'en; desired; which. can be temporarily out ofi. from the engine when its operation is not desired, as when. starting. a cold engine;- and which. is.- simple and durable in construction, economical. to manufacture, easy to install, and effective and eiilcient in operation Other objects and advantages-will} become apparent from a consideration of the following; description and the ap pendedclaims in conjunction with the accompanying; drawing wherein: V

Figure 1. is a side elevational viewgof a fragmentary portion of an internalcombustion. engine with. supplemental feed apparatus illustrative of" the invention operatively connected thereto;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on an. enlarged scale on the line 22 of: Figure 1;.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3'--3r of Figure 2;. and

Figure 4 is an elevational view or a. device for supply ing a highly volatile material-to the supplemental feed apparatus, port-ions of thisdevice; being brokenaway and shownin cross section to better illustrate the construction thereof.

With continued reference to the drawing, the numeral. generally indicates an internal combustio u engine such as a motor vehicle engine, having an intake manifold 11 and a carburetor 1 2 connected to the intake manifold 11 and providing a charge forming device. The engine is mounted in the usual vehicle engine compartment adjacent the-vehicle dash or fire wall 13 and is covered by'the usual hood 14. An instrument board or panel 15 is provided in the'vehicle rearwardly of the upper portion of wall 13 and-is located convenient to the operator of the vehicle.

The supplemental feed apparatus of. the presentinvention comprises a receptacle, generally indicated at 16; disposed at the engine side of the i ire wall: 13 and mounted on the fire wall by suitable means, such as the bracket 17 Nice 2. secured to the receptacle and the bolts 1'8'- extending through registering apertures ii the bracket 11- and the firmWa-IEISZ The: receptacle 1&- is: supported in upright position on the fire-wa'll: Badjacent the engine 10 and comprises a lower or bottomportiorrz 19 'whi'chmay 'conveniently'be of elongated; rectangularfsliape andiprovided around its" open, upper end. witht an: outwardly projecting flange: 20'. The bottom portion 19i's:iliustratetlaassforinedi of? glass, but it is to be understood that it may be formed. of. any suitable material:

' The. receptabl'e 1 6. also comprises a dishshapeditopportron-21: formed-oh a suitable material; such as sheet metal; and: disposed in: inverted position over the open upper end of the bottom portion 19. This top p'ort-ion: 21 has anoutwardly extending: marginal flange-22 and the: two portions are secured together by screws 23' extending through regisiteringapertures; hr. the flanges 20* and 22;, a gasket 24 or suitable, resilient packing. material being: disposed betweenthese flanges; A flat body 25* of sheet material of hollow, rectangular shape is disposed against the side of the flange 20 remote-50m the flange 22 and a. thin layer 26' of" resilient" material? is preferably disposedbetween thebody 2'5 and the adiacent siderofthe fiange 20'; The bodyZS is apertnred: to. receive the bolts 22 and nuts 27 are threaded one on' each: of the bolts or screws: 23' and bear against. the lower side of the sheet metal. body 25 to-clampthe fianges 20 and 22- together and'provi'de an airtight. seal between the bottom portion 19" and the top port-ion; 2'1- oii. the receptacle.

The top portion 21'' of the; receptacle is provided: with sp ac'e'd apart apertures 28 and 29' and atube fitting; 30 having. a bore 3 1 extending: therethrou'gh is mounted in the aperture 281 An: air inlet tube 32- iS'CODilfiClTBdZ at oneend its length-,; so that the: end: portion: thereof remote from the fitting, 30 lies along. the inner. side of the bottomwall 33 0f the-receptacle, as iilustrated int Figure 2. A filter housing 35-is secured. toithefitting'". fi0 atthe end of the bore 3-1 disposed: outwardly of; the receptacle: 16 and an airfilter 36 is contained in the: housing; 35 fo'r filtering; the air pass ing from. the atmosphere through the fitting: 30: and tube 32 into the interior of. the: receptacle: 16;

A fitting. 37 is mounted in the: aperture 29 in the top portion 2L of the receptaeleandl hasa bore 38 extending t-herethrough. A feed. tube-391 is secured at one end to the fitting 37 at the end-of the-bore 38 disposed outwardly oi the receptacle 16'by afiange nut 40 having an aperture receiving the corresponding end portion of the feed tube ized material and air from the interior of the: receptacle .16 or the engine intake manifold 11 through: the passage 42 the plate 4-1.

A valve 49 is disposed in the bore 38 of the fitting 37 and mounted onv a valve shaft 44' extending; through bearing. apertures in the fitting. A bracket 45' is mounted on the instrumentpanel 15- at the forward and under side of this. panel, and. a. flexible push; and pull device, such as the Bowden wire 46 extends through; the fire: wall 13 of the vehicle and is connected at one end to the valve shaft 44 and mounted at its other end in the bracket 45,

The core d7 of the Bowden wire extends throughan aperture in the instrument panel and is provided at the outer side of the instrument panel with a. knob 48 by means of which the valve 49 can be manually opened and closed, as desired.

A Wire mesh screen 50 is secured in the top portion 21 of the receptacle at a location spaced below the inner end of the fitting 37 and a body 51 of shredded material, such as copper or glass wool, is disposed in the space between the screen 50 and the top Wall 52 of the top portion 21 of the receptacle to maintain the fluid material entering the fitting 37 in a vaporized condition and to prevent such material from entering the fitting and the tube 39 in liquid form.

A small air tube 53 extends through the top portion 21 of the receptacle and terminates within the receptacle adjacent the upper end of the bottom portion 19 to supply a limited quantity of additional air to vapor in the upper portion of the receptacle.

It is contemplated that the receptacle 16 will contain a mixture of vaporizable liquid, such as a mixture of Water, alcohol and gasoline and that the air entering the receptacle through the air inlet tube 32 will agitate this body of mixed liquids in a manner to maintain a reasonably thorough mixture of the several liquids and to cause all ofthe liquids to vaporize simultaneously and the vapors to rise from the body of liquid to the filter 51 and the bore 38 of the fitting 37. This vapor mixture entering the engine intake manifold along with the fuel charge displaces a portion of the fuel charge, so that less fuel is used by the engine, but adds to the combustion efiiciency of the fuel drawn into the engine to an extent such that increased power output is obtained with a smaller fuel consumption than is possible to obtain with the same engine without the auxiliary feed apparatus.

Under certain operating conditions, it is considered advisable to add a limited quantity of a highly volatile material, such as ether, to the vapors drawn into the engine from the receptacle 16 through the feed tube 39 and plate 41. Suitable means for supplying such a volatile material in limited quantities to the interior of the receptacle 16 is illustrated in Figure 4, and includes a T fitting 55 secured to the outer end of the fitting 30 in replacement of the filter housing 35, the filter housing being then secured to the side connection 56 of the T fitting. A tube nipple 57 is secured at one end to the T fitting 55 at the end of the latter remote from the fitting 30 and a valve housing 58 is secured at one end to the end of the nipple 57 remote from the fitting 55. A disc valve 59 is disposed in the housing 58 and mounted on a valve shaft 60 which extends through suitable bearing apertures in the valve housing and has, outside of the housing, an angularly disposed portion 61 by means of which the valve 59 can be opened and closed. A second tube nipple 62 is connected at one end to the valve housing 58 at the end of the valve housing remote from the nipple 57 and an adjustable metering valve 63 is connected to the tube nipple 62 at the end of this nipple remote from the housing 58. A reservoir 6-1 for containing volatile material, such as ether, is secured at its bottom end to the metering valve 63 with its interior in communication With the interior of the metering valve, and a cap or cover 65 is tightly secured on the open, upper end of the reservoir 64 to maintain the volatile material in the reservoir.

When the valve 59 is opened a small quantity of volatile liquid from the reservoir 64 will be metered past the metering valve 63 and will pass into the T fitting where it will be mixed with inlet air entering the T fitting through the filter housing 35 and this mixture of volatile liquid or the vapor thereof and air will then flow through the inlet tube 32 and through the body of liquid in the receptacle 16 to the fitting 37 and feed tube 39 to supply an additional ingredient to the auxiliary material supplied to the engine.

While a mixture of water, alcohol and gasoline in the receptacle 16 has been found to provide satisfactory results in tests of the apparatus, it is to be understood that one or more of these ingredients may be omitted and that other liquids may be used, if found more effective, without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a charge forming device connected to said manifold, supplemental feed apparatus comprising a closed receptacle mounted in upright position adjacent the engine and containing a vaporizable liquid, a main air inlet tube extending from outside the receptacle eccentrically through the top portion thereof to a location adjacent the bottom of the receptacle to admit atmospheric air to the interior of said recepacle near the bottom of a body of liquid contained therein, means connected to said intake manifold providing a fluid passage leading to the interior of said manifold, a feed tube connected at one end to said means in communication with said fluid passage and connected at its other end centrally to the top portion of said receptacle and communicating with the interior of said receptacle near the inner surface of said top portion thereof for conducting vapor and air from said receptacle to said fiuid passage, a reservoir containing highly volatile liquid disposed above said one end of said inlet tube and mounted thereon, and means connecting said reservoir to said air inlet tube at said one end of the latter and controlling the admission of liquid contained in said reservoir to said air inlet tube.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a charge forming device connected to said manifold, supplemental feed apparatus comprising a closed receptacle mounted in upright position adjacent the engine and containing a vaporizable liquid, an air inlet tube disposed in said receptacle and having one end in communication with the atmosphere at the outside of said receptacle and its other end disposed adjacent the bottom of the receptacle to admit atmospheric air to the interior of said receptacle near the'bottom of a body of liquid contained in the receptacle, means connected to said intake manifold providing a fluid passage leading to the interior of said manifold, a

'feed tube connected at one end to said means in communication with said fluid passage and connected at its other end to the top portion of said receptacle in communication with the interior of said receptacle adjacent the inner surface of said top portion for conducting vapor and air from said receptacle to said fluid passage,

a reservoir containing highly volatile liquid disposed above said one end of said air inlet tube and mounted thereon,

and means including an adjustable metering valve and a manually'operated cut off valve connecting said reservoir to said air inlet tube at said one end of the latter.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 996,991 Little July 4, 1911 1,465,397 Johnston Aug. 21, 1923 1,632,654 Joegers et al. June 14, 1927 1,670,660 Haase et al. May 22, 1928 2,073,887 Strancke Mar. 16, 1937 2,526,530 Bardshar Oct. 17, 1950 2,576,196 Stanalis Nov. 27, 1951 

